Page 113 of Worth the Trouble

“That’s it.” I wrap my arms under her and pick her up, being careful not to hurt her leg, even if she shrieks in surprise.

“Rome, what are you doing? Put me down. I have crutches.” She’s swatting at my chest, but I ignore her and carry her back to the bedroom.

“Nope.” I shake my head. “What did I tell you about running? I’d catch you. This is just making it easier.”

“And I told you we can’t have sex yet.”

“Lili, I’m not here to have sex with you.” I set her on the bed and pull out my phone to cast a movie.

Her eyes furrow as she watches me. “What are you here for, then?”

I drop down onto the mattress beside her and slip my arm under her head, loving that she nuzzles against my body and gets comfortable.

“I’m here to take care of you. To cook for you. And to love you.”

“Love me, huh?” She looks up at me through her thick lashes.

I lean down to kiss her on the forehead. “Even if it hurts, sweetheart.”

Epilogue

Lili

Five Months Later

“Dotheybotheryou?”Cassie’s eyes drift to the stripper poles in the middle of Rome’s living room.

“They’re unusual, but they’re Rome.” I tip my head back and laugh. “Besides, we have our fun with them.”

Cassie, Eloise, and Merry burst out laughing, and it throws me into a fit of giggles.

I honestly wasn’t sold on the idea of moving into a house with stripper poles in the middle of the living room, but I’ve learned to have fun with them. Besides, I’ll be the only one dancing on them now.

“More power to you.” Merry holds up her water glass in a cheers with mine. “Gotta fuel those kinks.”

“I don’t want to know,” Cassie says, looking at Merry.

Merry bites her lip. “No, you don’t.”

Eloise shakes her head and smiles.

I’m still adjusting to being a part of this group, but I’m thankful for them. It’s nice to actually have friends of my own. People in my life who aren’t here just because of something I can offer them. And even if we’re different in almost every way, I manage to fit in.

“What does your mom think of them?” Cassie nudges my arm, looking at the poles once more.

“I’m pretty sure she was mortified when she saw them,” I admit. “She made sure to sit facing away from them the entire time she was here, and she didn’t say anything.”

“So, you guys are good?” Eloise asks.

I nod. “Yeah, she even got a place in the city to stay close.”

Once my leg healed, and I got the all-clear to start practicing again from my doctor, I expected her to start pushing for me to take Vaughn up on his offer, but she didn’t. In fact, she was the one to stand up to him when he tried to push my contract at us to force me to keep dancing for the company.

Mom hired a lawyer and brought to light some behind-the-scenes dealings Vaughn has been up to, threatening to out him if he didn’t leave us alone. I always knew Vaughn wasn’t a good guy, but apparently, his business has been built on bribery and blackmail, so it’s worse than I thought.

I was also able to convince him to drop the charges against Rome once I said I would go to the police about what really happened if he didn’t. Now he’s finally out of my life for good.

“What are the four of you cracking up about?” Rome asks, walking into the room in a chest-hugging T-Shirt and sweats. Looking like sex, comfort, and danger all rolled into one. My eyes dip to the bulge prominent in his sweats and when I look back up, I realize he caught me.

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